Thursday, December 31, 2015

Dear Oscar...

Dear AMPAS voters,

Now that nomination ballots have opened, I kindly ask that you consider these....

1. Please Say No To Category Fraud: Rooney Mara and Alicia Vikander are getting controversial campaigns for Best Supporting Actress when they are CLEARLY leads just like Jacob Tremblay is getting put in Supporting even though he is in literally every scene. If you check these names off, please put them where they belong.

2. Consider Rose Byrne for Best Supporting Actress: As you guys have known in the past, it's okay to nominate a funny performance, even giving Marisa Tomei the win in this category for My Cousin Vinny. But Rose Byrne gives one of the funniest performances of the year in Spy that is perhaps more difficult than some of the dramatic performances in contention in this category. Like they say, dying is easy, comedy is hard.

3. Nominate Mad Max, The Martian, and Star Wars for Best Picture: While I have a feeling at least one or two of these will get in for Best Picture, there's no rule saying you can't have three sci-fi films in the top category, right? You guys should just go absolutely bonkers.

4. Try To Avoid The Buddy System: I understand that you guys respect names like Steven Spielberg, Helen Mirren, and even Jennifer Lawrence. But look at some names outside the box that haven't been recognized like Ben Mendelsohn for Best Actor in Mississippi Grind, Lenny Abrahamson for Best Director in Room, or Amy Schumer for Best Actress in Trainwreck. 5. Go For Genre Diversity: Whether it'd be a single Score nomination for It Follows, a Screenplay nod for Trainwreck, a Best Picture nod for Inside Out, or a Supporting Actress nod for Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina, you guys should recognize films of all types.

So to any AMPAS voter that may stumble across this, I sincerely hope you consider these tips as you are filling out your ballots. Thanks for reading!